Fall to Pieces
by Vanessa Cleveland
Summary: Ashley doesn’t want to forgive Craig for breaking her heart. But when Emma gets involved, will love win over Ash’s pride? R&R appreciated ;-)
1. Ashley Kerwin: Environmentally Concious

**Story**: Fall to Pieces  
  
**Author**: heartgddss  
  
**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters or plots from Degrassi: The Next Generation. They are property of Epitome, CTV, etc.  
**  
**Main Characters**: Ashley, Manny, Craig, Emma  
  
**Summary**: Ashley doesn't want to forgive Craig for breaking her heart. But when Emma gets involved, will love win over Ash's pride?  
  
**Rating**: Two or three uses of harsh language, and other themes.  
  
**Before you read**: This story takes place immediately after Holiday, when the gang gets back from Christmas Break. The only out of place event is that Dylan is already Marco's boyfriend (yes I know that even that is not confirmed, but still...). Also, the plot is loosely based on Zoey Dean's '_The A-List: Girls on Film'_. I do not intend to infringe on any copyrights or such.  


* * *

"Craig? Which Craig?" Ashley Kerwin asked.  
  
"Hon, I think you know who I mean." Paige Michalchuk replied tartly. She stared at Ashley through her blue-tinted sunglasses.  
  
Ashley sighed. "I don't want to talk about it," she said sternly. She placed her blue English binder back into her locker and slammed the metal door.  
  
Thirteen days ago Ashley had been Craig Manning's girlfriend. Craig was a cute, witty guy with musical talent; in other words, Ashley's dream guy. At least, if she ever had had a dream guy, it would be Craig. He had a bit of a dark past, but that didn't bother Ashley. There was plenty of that in her own life.  
  
Ashley was a rare beauty: tall, slender, smart, and artistically talented. She had a passion for music and poetry, if it was her own work or not. It seemed as fate had brought the two together; it was as if they were the pieces of the puzzle each other's lives were missing. With each other, they had seemed complete.  
  
But let's be honest: Craig was a two-timing bastard. And that was lightly putting it. Craig had cheated on Ashley with Manny Santos, the girl who had found herself as the new school slut. He had dated both of them at the same time, he had kissed both of them passionately, and he had even told both of them that he was in love. With **both** of them.  
  
Craig's excuse? There wasn't one. At least by Ashley's standards. The fact that he couldn't pick between the two didn't satisfy her. Surprisingly, neither had it satisfied Manny.  
  
"Watch it."  
  
Ashley heard a cold tone come from beside her. There she was: the infamous Manuella Santos, clad in pink and white all over. Her hair was sleeked back into a fancy twist, making her eyebrows arch as Cruella DeVille's would.  
  
Ashley stifled a smile.  
  
"Watch yourself," she retorted.  
  
"Hmm," Manny gave Ashley the once over. "Taking your own advice would be an idea. Your colors look as if they could play a role in 'Clash of the Titans'." Manny tightly smirked and walked off, shaking her butt as if she was on a runway, her purse bumping along with her right hip.  
  
"Manny used to be so sweet." Paige had been standing behind Ashley the whole time. "So cute... cuddly, even."  
  
"Your point?" Ashley eyed Paige out of her corner.  
  
"Where does she get the idea that she's me?" Paige raised a questioning eyebrow at Ashley, putting her hands on hips.  
  
Ashley laughed. "Come on, Michalchuk. Shelia's famous root beer floats are half-off today due to the melting of the ice cream. The school's refrigerator is broken."  
  
As Ashley and Paige began walking down the hallway, Ashley noticed a blonde blur coming towards the pair. That blonde blur was unmistakably Emma Nelson: ex-girlfriend of Sean Cameron, daughter of Spike Nelson, and Environment Crusader.  
  
"Ashley!" Emma called out to Ashley and Paige. She came to a halt on the balls of her feet, her hair in a huge mess and ten different sheets of paper in her hands.  
  
"Hon, we're not in a jungle, although it might seem that way," Paige smirked at Emma, arms crossed in front of her medium-sized chest.  
  
Emma ignored Paige's comment and continued to ramble on to Ashley. "There's this contest. I mean **huge** contest. It's called E.C., short for Environmentally Conscious. And since you're vice president of S.I.T.E, I was wondering if..."  
  
"Emma, that's so sweet of you. But seriously, I'm not that enthusiastic at the moment-"  
  
"First prize is a trip to New York City and five thousand dollars." Emma put on the smuggest look she could produce. "_Per_."  
  
Paige's eyes lit up, forcing her to push her sunglasses to the top of her head and snatch one of the papers from Emma's arms.  
  
"Talk about Gucci heaven... Fifth Avenue and five thou? I'm there." Paige quickly scanned the piece of paper in front of her.  
  
"I don't know, Emma. New York and five grand sounds great, but I have to ask." She shifted her eyes from Paige's form to Emma. "Is Manny doing this too?"  
  
"When I asked her she said she had her period and she didn't want to talk. But my guess is no, knowing Manny."  
  
Relief flashed over Ashley's face. "Okay. Yeah. I'll think about it. Thanks, Emma." She smiled and took a form.  
  
"Great. Paige, can I put you down too?" Emma removed a clipboard from under her arm and scribbled Ashley's name under Nadia's and Kendra's.  
  
"As good as the prizes sound, I cannot deal with anymore stress. Especially stress having to do with the..." Paige's face grew a look of slight disgust. "_Environment_."  
  
Emma glared at her. "Fine. Ashley, there's a meeting tomorrow at lunch. Bring your form filled out and signed by your mom or dad." She walked away, breaking into another sprint when she spied her next victim.  
  
"So since you're about to become filthy rich, buy me a float?" Paige sweetly smiled at her.  
  
"Get your boyfriend to get you one. What good is a boyfriend who doesn't cheat on you if he doesn't buy you stuff?" That had been an attempt to lighten things up, but it backfired on her. Paige's face grew a bit gloomy.  
  
"What? Did I say something?" The pair began to walk in the direction of the cafeteria.  
  
"Spinner hasn't been around much." Paige said quietly. "Actually, he's been around more than he ever has been. But not with me."  
  
"What does that mean?"  
  
"Dylan talked Spinner into helping him plan this huge bash for Marco's sixteenth birthday. He's been at our house every day, but only stops by my room once or twice to tell me he's leaving." Paige gloomily looked at Ashley.  
  
"And at school?" Ashley simply asked.  
  
"He's either trying to convince Marco that there won't be any party just to throw him off, or figuring out some kink in Dylan's devious plan. It's awful!" She let her eyes gaze onto her boyfriend, who was leaning against a locker, vigorously chatting with Marco.  
  
"So, explain to me again why you're always at my boyfriend's house?" Marco asked with a smirk.  
  
"Dylan's house also happens to be Paige's, you know."  
  
"But then why are you always in Dylan's room? Wouldn't Paige rather make out on her own bed?" Marco started to fiddle with his lock as Paige stared at the two in disgust.  
  
"Earth to Paige!" Ashley quickly swiped a hand over Paige's face.  
  
"Marco has his own boyfriend. I'm gonna go get mine back." Paige strutted over to Spinner and looped her own arm into his, making him peck her on the cheek.  
  
"Great. Even my best friend broke up with me," Ashley sighed. She turned the other way towards the front doors, just wanting to get out of the hell hole more commonly known as Degrassi Community School.  
  
_God. This whole place is fucked up_, she thought.  
  
Speaking of being fucked up, anyone wondering what's up with Manny?


	2. Manny Santos: Bad Girl in a Bad Situatio...

**Story**: Fall to Pieces

**Author**: heartgddss

**Disclaimer**: **I don't own any of the characters or plots from Degrassi: The Next Generation. They are property of Epitome, CTV, etc. **

**Main Characters**: Ashley, Manny, Craig, Emma, Jimmy

**Summary**: Ashley doesn't want to forgive Craig for breaking her heart. But when Emma gets involved, will love win over Ash's pride?

**Rating**: Two or three uses of harsh language, and other themes.

**Before you read**: This chapter is a bit more risque, I don't know if you'll like it. It's basically to show that Manny isn't the most coldhearted bitch you could imagine, but, of course, this story is Ashley-centered. I hope you like it, but if you don't, **constructive critisicm **is the answer. I'll accept flames, but I don't respect it much when people just decide to tell me my stories are horrible and give me nothing to improve on. Anyways, I'm rambling. On to Chapter 2. 

* * *

Manuella Santos crossed the courtyard which led her to the Degrassi Gymnasium.  
  
"God dammit! I'm gonna be late. AGAIN." She slapped the area of her wrist which bore her pink Baby-G watch. She started to mess with her hair, pinning it up as she walked into the gym.  
  
"Alright, Emma! Keep up the good work..." Ms. H complimented, her head bobbing up and down. She stood at the opposite end of the gym, her blue and yellow sweat suit covering her curvaceous body. A whistle and clipboard acted as her accessories. She smiled at Emma, who had just finished her mat routine, and carried on to watch Kendra until she noticed Manny.  
  
Ms. H frowned. "Manny, I thought I **told** you that you weren't to be late again." She crossed over to a dumbstruck Manny. She usually got off scot- free when it came to Ms. H.  
  
"I'm so, so sorry, Ms. Hatzilakos. It won't happen again, I promise." Manny masked on an apologetic face, her hair still down at her shoulders, scrunchie in hand.  
  
"I've noticed you're never late for cheerleading practice." Ms. H let her eyebrows raise in a disappointed look.  
  
"But Ms. H, cheerleading is after school. Gymnastics is after lunch-"  
  
"Which gives you no excuse, am I right?"  
  
Manny realized that Ms. H had set her up to rat herself out. She hadn't even mentioned the during-school cheerleading practices, which she was also on time for. Gymnastics just seemed to hold this omen...  
  
There. Manny spotted her. Emma Nelson was her omen. Emma Nelson had a certain aura to her that sent off good-girl vibes. As if Manny was betraying herself or something. Her good side that she still knew lay within her.  
  
But nobody else knew it was still there.  
  
"Just go get your suit on and warm up. I want to see you on beam in ten. And don't think I'll be happy if you mess up." Ms. H turned her back and but her cheery face back on, clapping for a girl who just stuck a double back handspring.  
  
"Bitch." Manny said lowly, scowling. She didn't expect this from Ms. H. She was the teacher who was supposed to understand and be caring. It wasn't like they needed more Kwans.  
  
She opened the door to the Girls' locker room, swinging her athletic bag onto a nearby bench. She briskly opened her locker door, flinging her hair behind her shoulders. Pulling off her shirt and bra, she shoved them into the locker and began to unbutton her pants-  
  
"Arggh!" Manny suddenly let out a groan of pain as she clutched her bare stomach. Half naked, she rushed to the shower area and flung herself into a toilet stall.  
  
She had been having stomach pains all day. She had supposed it was her period, since she was over a month late. But she had been wearing a tampon and she was pretty sure there was nothing there. Not that she had checked.  
  
"Jesus..." she swore, ripping off a piece of toilet paper to wipe her mouth. Her breasts felt cold on the toilet seat as she knelt on the dirty, unsanitary bathroom floor.  
  
"...and I've got Ashley Kerwin too."  
  
"Ashley? What would Ashley want to do with E.C.?"  
  
Only two words flashed through Manny's mind: Oh. Shit.  
  
"She is vice president, Kendra. What do you mean what would she want with it?" Emma asked, slapping her hands together to take off extra chalk.  
  
"I dunno. She just doesn't seem like E.C. material. She's usually just at S.I.T.E. to stand there and look cute... thanks to all the attention Manny attracts." Kendra and Emma snickered.  
  
"I don't think Manny will be at many more S.I.T.E. meetings," Emma sighed. "She and Craig had the nastiest break up..." She loosened her hair and began to run a brush through her blond locks.  
  
"It was bound to happen. I mean, it seemed as if the only person who didn't know about Craig cheating on Ashley was... well... Ashley." Kendra chuckled as she pulled on sweats over her leotard. Emma shook her head in slight disgust. "Just take this for example: even my _boyfriend_ knew about it. And when Toby knows about gossip, you can be sure it's gone to the dogs."  
  
Emma giggled lightly and stopped mid-brush.  
  
"I know that she's my best friend, but why did she go and something like _that_? Sometimes I just feel I don't even know who Manny is." Emma replaced her brush and stood up, she and Kendra closing their lockers in unison.  
  
Manny heard the 'swoosh' of the door closing, realizing it was her time to make her move. She quickly flushed the toilet and bounded to the locker area, just to see the door begin to swing open again. She pivoted back, and pattered to the same stall in retreat.  
  
"That was a great practice guys! Don't forget about the rehearsal meet on Thursday!" Manny heard Ms. H call out. Several groans and replies came from the herd of her teammates who were making their way into the locker room.  
  
"Oh no..." Manny checked her watch. She was supposed to be warmed up and ready to go for Ms. H in a minute and a half. There was no way that could happen; especially since she was buck-naked from her waist-up. "God I'm screwed... god I'm screwed..." she repeated, placing her hands to her head, pacing the two foot width of the stall.  
  
"Hey guys! Anyone up for a quick game of..." Manny heard something rattle from the locker area. "Spin the bottle?" She heard a devious giggle. It was her teammate Laura Donner, the previous 'school slut'. Laura was still uber-pissed at Manny for stealing her title.  
  
"You... want to play _spin the bottle_... with all _girls_?" Patsy Morgan questioned.  
  
"Why the hell not?" Manny could imagine the crazy look Laura was getting on her face right now. "We've got the time. Hatzilakos let us out fifteen minutes early!"  
  
Manny sunk down to the floor once more. Laura would never let her forget it if she just waltzed in, her upper torso bare for all to see.  
  
"What... you guys _chicken_?" Laura began to squawk in the direction of each girl.  
  
There were defiant 'no's from all over. They all formed a small circle in the middle of the room, each a bit nervous about what they were doing.  
  
Manny gave up and buried her head into her legs, tears rolling down her cheeks.  
  
_Why me_? she wondered, repeating the question over and over in her head.

* * *

"Ashley!"  
  
Ashley heard a male voice calling her name. It began to ring in her ears: Ashley... Ashley... Ash...  
  
"Ashley. You there?"

She swiftly turned on her heel, imagining Craig to be there, red roses and all. She could see him on his knee, a golden ring in his hand, and the perfect apology- all in song-form.  
  
"Craig?" she asked hopefully, her mind filled with the perfect image.  
  
"No," Jimmy Brooks said sadly. "Just me." He lifted his hand and pulled at his sweatshirt. An orange basketball was tucked under his arm.  
  
"Oh. Sorry." Ashley smiled apologetically. Jimmy looked cute in his grey sweat suit. Jimmy always looked cute to Ashley. But not hot. Craig was hot.  
  
"Look, Spinner sent me to give this to you." Jimmy pulled a white piece of paper from his pocket. He grinned that trademark smile of his and handed it to Ashley.  
  
"It's for Marco's party. Downtown Sasquatch is playing." He watched her as she looked over the invitation.  
  
"You're playing short a bass?" She swiftly looked up.  
  
"I guess so." He put his right hand into his pocket. "Unless you know somebody." He smiled again, making Ashley cock her head to one side flirtatiously.  
  
"I know somebody." She straightened her head. "But that somebody comes with three other somebodies."  
  
"You mean... your band?" He pointed at her, his face growing serious.  
  
"Yes, I mean my band. We're pretty good." She crossed her arms and smiled with pride.  
  
"Uh, I'm sure you are, but-"  
  
"But, you're missing a bass player, and Spinner's going to be running around every which way. You'll be left alone with..." Ashley lowered her voice. "Well, you know who I'm talking about."  
  
"Look, I'll put in a good word with Spinner, okay?" A smile returned to his face, and he patted her on the shoulder. Taking one last look at her, he walked in the direction of his English class.  
  
Ashley turned to watch him leave. _I like Jimmy_, she thought. _Actually, I've always liked him. He's really sweet, cute, caring... no. I couldn't put Jimmy through the humiliation of being my rebound crush. That's too horrible. I mean, how can I like Jimmy when I can't get Craig out of my head? _


	3. Downtown Sasqatch: One After Another

**Story**: Fall to Pieces  
  
**Author**: heartgddss  
  
**Disclaimer**: **I don't own any of the characters or plots from Degrassi: The Next Generation. They are property of Epitome, CTV, etc.  
**  
**Main Characters**: Ashley, Manny, Craig, Emma, Jimmy  
  
**Summary**: Ashley doesn't want to forgive Craig for breaking her heart. But when Emma gets involved, will love win over Ash's pride?  
  
**Rating**: Two or three uses of harsh language, and other themes.  
  
**Before you read**: Sorry for the wait! Um, not much to say about this chapter. Except for everyone who reviewed, you **ROCK**! Anyways... just read and review. Please? O.o

* * *

Marco Del Rossi and Spinner Mason had been sitting in Craig Manning's garage for the past thirty minutes. Spinner was half-asleep; his eyes were closed and he was snoring. Marco's brain was going nuts from the drumming of his own fingers and Spinner's monotone snoring.  
  
"Spin! Will you STOP?" Marco didn't even have to look behind him to know Spinner hadn't been aroused. The snoring only grew louder.  
  
Marco grabbed Craig's guitar pick off of the table. He turned around and threw it at Spinner's head, missing his eye about an inch off.  
  
Spinner nearly knocked over his drum set from being startled.  
  
"Dude, got some unresolved issues?" he scowled at Marco.  
  
"Yes, as a matter of fact. I have an issue with the fact you resemble a hippo while sleeping." Marco turned around and stared at the door to the garage.  
  
"Okay... well, you can't just take advantage of a sleeping dude like that." Spinner stood up, taking his drumsticks with him. He plucked one onto Marco's head in passing.  
  
"Ow!" Marco smoothed out his hair, as if it weren't already perfect.  
  
"Where are Craig and Jimmy? We have to practice for..." Spinner nervously stopped himself. He just hoped Marco hadn't caught that one.  
  
Marco grinned. "What do we have to practice for?"  
  
"Uh... Heather Sinclair's Bat Mitzvah." He began to silently pray for Jimmy or Craig to come.  
  
Marco started laughing so hard he cried. He had to hold his stomach in slight pain, his laughs were so hard.   
  
"What? What did I say?" Spinner's brow furrowed.  
  
"Spin? Bat Mitzvahs take place when people are twelve and thirteen. Heather's not even Jewish. She goes to my church." Marco wiped a tear from his eye and tried to contain himself from combustion.  
  
"Oh. Right." Spinner felt his cheeks flame, being caught in the act of lying. He knew that if he screwed up one more time Marco would figure it all out, and Dylan would kill him. That wasn't a pleasant thought.  
  
"I'm going to go call Jimmy." Marco still had a knowing smile on his face. "And by the way, you screw up one more time, Dylan'll kill you," Marco whispered, as if he could read his best friend's mind.  
  
"Telling you, Marco! There is NO party!" Spinner called after Marco as he exited the garage with his cell phone in hand.  
  
Spinner sighed as he plopped down onto the couch, his face buried in his hands. _This is so stupid_, he thought. _Marco already knows_, _so what's the point_?  
  
"Jimmy's around the corner." Marco said as he flipped his phone closed and sat down on the couch's arm. "He says he has to talk to you about something important, but he wouldn't tell me what."  
  
The boy sitting on the couch took his hands out of his face.  
  
"So Craig's taking a 'sick' day?" Spinner stood up and poked his head out the door. He closed it quickly, since it was still chilly outside.  
  
"Chances of us seeing Craig today are slim. I was surprised to see even Ashley at school." Marco stared at Craig's guitar on the stand at the far side of the garage. Spinner sat back down at his drums.  
  
"Hey guys." Marco and Spinner turned to see Jimmy squeezing through the door, his coat wrapped around him like his second skin. The two greeted him without moving from their warm seats.  
  
"Marco. Dylan said he had to talk to you after hockey practice, so he should be here any minute." Jimmy delivered his message and put up his jacket on the rack.  
  
"Finally. I get the two schemers in the same room." Marco smiled and eyed Spinner.  
  
"_What_?" Spinner put up his hands in protest. "I hate it when you look at me like that!"  
  
"Hey! You two! Stop playing 'Odd Couple' and get your stuff. We have to practice what we can without Mr. Screw-Up." Jimmy shook his head in slight disgust.  
  
"Mr. Screw-Up? A bit harsh, don't ya think, Jim?" Marco asked sincerely.  
  
"Yeah. Craig only cheated on my ex with the thong queen. He didn't screw up at all, did he?" Jimmy placed his guitar's strap on his shoulder and began tuning. Marco gave Spinner a questioning look, but he didn't notice due to the fact that Dylan just walked in.  
  
"Hey!" Dylan wrapped an arm around Marco's shoulder and smiled at him. Marco returned his smile and kissed him on the cheek.  
  
"Hey. What's going on?" Marco put his bass back on the stand.  
  
"What do you mean?" Dylan looked at Spinner slightly menacingly.  
  
"Jimmy said you had to talk to me." Marco said innocently, making Dylan take back his gesture towards Spinner.  
  
"Uh... well..." Dylan looked around and noticed Craig wasn't there. He DID have something to tell Marco, but not in front of two other people. Especially not two other straight guys. "Guys, I have to take him off your hands... sorry." He looked apologetic.  
  
"Not a problem." Spinner piped up, glad that Marco was leaving and he could be put out of his humiliation.  
  
"Spinner! Dylan, is there any way..." Jimmy began to protest.  
  
Dylan simply shook his head. "Unless if you want to stay, Marco." Dylan put on the most irresistible face he could produce.  
  
Marco sighed in slight disappointment that Dylan had such control over him. "Sorry guys, I have to go." He placed the strap around his bass which was still on the stand.  
  
Dylan grabbed Marco's hand and pulled him out the door, Marco reluctantly obeying. Jimmy and Spinner noticed Dylan immediately kissing Marco once they were out of the garage, somewhat out of sight.  
  
"Take him off our hands... yeah right." Jimmy struck an incredibly horrible sounding chord and turned around in annoyance.  
  
"Dude... it's not like he's gonna be playing at his own birthday party." Spinner fooled with the screw onto of the cymbals, creating a slight racket.  
  
"It's not that." Jimmy said quietly. His eyes darted from Spinner, to his guitar, to the footprints the other two had left behind outside. There was still a thin layer of snow on the ground.  
  
"Then what is it?" Spinner said thickly. He thumped his cymbal, making a repetitive gong sound.  
  
"I'm just a bit irritated right now."  
  
"About?" Spinner wouldn't take his eyes off of the instrument.  
  
"God, could you be any more annoying?" Jimmy lifted his guitar off of his shoulder in rage and stomped over to the couch.  
  
"Dude, I just wanted to find out why you're so bummed," Spinner said with concern. The way he said it made Jimmy think of a surfer dude with ugly board shorts on.  
  
"I'm just so- MAD at Craig. He was such an idiot to Ash... I just don't get how he could be so mean to such a sweet girl." Jimmy felt like an idiot, pouring out his feelings to a surfer dude.  
  
"Wait-" Spinner finally looked up. "Whoa! You still like Ashley!" He could not have sounded anymore blunt, which was usual for Spinner.  
  
"What? No. No, Spinner. I DON'T like Ashley. And don't go around saying that I do. Try to contain yourself from being an idiot for once, will you?" Jimmy grabbed his coat and slammed the door behind him.  
  
Spinner sat there for about a minute before he picked up his drumsticks and placed them back onto the drum set and threw on his jacket. He left, his mind still wondering, '_Where **is** Craig_?'. 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Mom!" Ashley called, placing her book bag and blazer by the door. She peered around the corner for her mom, or any signals that she would be around. "Mom!" she repeated.  
  
"I'm in the kitchen!" Ashley's mother called back. Ashley could immediately smell the cookies in the oven, the strong smell hit her like a school bus.  
  
"Hey mom." She picked up a cookie and kissed her mother on the cheek.  
  
"Don't eat all of them. They're for a party Toby's going to," she explained, taking another batch out of the oven and closing the door with her foot.  
  
"Toby? Party? Those are two words I haven't heard used in the same sentence for a while." Ashley chuckled. She took out a glass of milk and poured some into a blue cup.  
  
"Ashley..." Ms. Kerwin warned. She slid the cookies off of the pan and into a basket. "Oh, I almost forgot!" She pulled off the oven mitts and placed them on a hook. "Something came for you today."  
  
"What is it? Not more video games Toby sent out for under my name, I hope." She put the rest of the cookie into her mouth and followed her mother, wiping the cookie off of her hands.  
  
"No, I don't think so. Here. It was left on the porch earlier today." She handed her daughter a brown package. It didn't have a return address; neither did it have her address on it. All it had was Ashley's name scribbled on the front and a small heart after it.  
  
_**Shit**_, Ashley thought. She knew that handwriting. She also had a feeling her mother did too.  
  
"Do you want to look at it together?" Her mother raised her eyebrows and reviewed the package.  
  
"Maybe later. Excuse me." Ashley grabbed the brown box and raced upstairs, flinging herself onto her bed.  
  
Ashley frantically searched for a pair of scissors, an envelope opener, anything that would get the package open and put her out of her misery.  
  
"Ah ha!" she cried triumphantly, holding a pair of blunt scissors in her hands. She dug the spade into the tape which was holding the sides of the ugly cardboard together.  
  
"Why won't you OPEN?" She moved the scissors up and down recklessly until the box was torn to shreds and its contents were revealed.  
  
Inside were packing peanuts surrounding a videotape. The edges of the tape were blunt; it had obviously been used before for other purposes. On the label was the same as on the packaging: the letters 'ASH' in Craig's handwriting, and two little hearts on the edge.  
  
Ashley hurriedly popped the tape in to the player and retreated to her bed to watch it, the remote control in hand.  
  
Craig's face immediately came onto the screen after a bit of fuzziness. He was in the Jeremiah's living room, Craig's back to the wall which had the stairs. The date was playing in the right-hand bottom corner, telling Ashley that this tape had been made the same day.  
  
"Go. Go!" Joey's voice came from behind the camera.  
  
"What? Oh- is it on? Oh- uh- hey Ash." Craig smiled and lifted a hand. "Um, I really don't know where to begin to say this." His eyes darted from the camera to the stairs to the door, as if he were ready to make a quick getaway. "Well, um... this should go without saying, but I can't tell you how sorry I am. I even went to Caitlin to borrow her video recorder so I could make this, since I was, well, I was pretty sure you wouldn't talk to me.  
  
"I can't even begin to tell you how horrible I feel. I was stupid, so stupid to do that to you, and I could completely understand if you hate me. I, uh," he brought his hand behind his head and scratched his neck. "Pretty much hate myself." He laughed an out-of-place laugh. "I've screwed up before, Joey would know." Craig pointed to the face of the camera, where Joey suddenly poked his head out. He waved, smiled with his head crooked to one side, and then turned the camera back on Craig. "Uh- thanks, Joey. I guess what I wanted to say is, Please forgive me, Ashley. You mean a lot to me." He smiled again, nervously, and then the camera flicked off.  
  
Ashley had only one word that filled her mind at that exact moment. There was one, single word that covered every thought she had at the time.  
  
_BASTARD._


	4. Emma Nelson: Mother In Training

**Story**: Fall to Pieces  
  
**Author**: heartgddss  
  
**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters or plots from Degrassi: The Next Generation. They are property of Epitome, CTV, etc.  
**  
**Main Characters**: Ashley, Manny, Craig, Emma, Jimmy  
  
**Summary**: Ashley doesn't want to forgive Craig for breaking her heart. But when Emma gets involved, will love win over Ash's pride?  
  
**Rating**: Two or three uses of harsh language, and other themes.  
  
**Before you read**: Wow, you guys. I feel horrible for not updating sooner. My birthday is tomorrow and everything has been crazy... I'm gonna be thirteen lol... wow... I promise I'll be quicker updating. I swear!   


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Emma Nelson sat in her basement bedroom, completing her math homework. She licked the end of her pencil, concentrating on the mounds of solved math problems which sat in front of her. The last number remained unsolved, number fifty-one. Though, it was a bit hard to solve problems from her Algebra 2 class when her little brother Jack was wailing eight feet above her head.  
  
"Carry the two..." she mumbled. She punched a few numbers in on her calculator and came up with a result. "Sixty-nine point two." She scribbled it down in her notebook, not caring if it was correct or not.  
  
"Emma!" Her mother yelled down the stairs.  
  
"What!" She called back.  
  
"Just come up here, will you?" Spike said just loud enough to make her voice be heard over her son's.  
  
Emma slammed her notebook shut and jammed her pencil into the metal coil. Her head felt light as she stood up quickly; spots began to form in front of her eyes.  
  
"Emma!" Her mother whined. Emma looked up the stairs and saw her mother standing in the doorway. Emma cringed; her mother looked gruesome. Spike's hair was dull, limping down at the back, and her bangs askew. It looked as if she hadn't washed it in a week. She didn't have any makeup on, which made her look as if the grim reaper had paid a visit.  
  
"Oh, mom. You look terrible." Emma climbed up the stairs and took the sobbing bundle from her mother.  
  
"Thanks for the compliment," she chuckled. "I desperately need a bath."  
  
"No kidding." Emma gave her mother the once-over. She had pink bunny slippers on her feet. "Go get some normal clothes on before I go into cardiac arrest."  
  
"I'm on my way. I won't take long." Spike turned on her heels when Jack began an outburst again. She froze in her tracks, debating on whether she should take her child back or to continue on her way to the bathtub, which had been calling her name for the past six days.  
  
"Don't even think it mom. Bath. Now," her daughter ordered. Emma stuck two fingers into Jack's open mouth. The crying instantly turned into soft cooing.  
  
"Maternal instincts at age fourteen. Who would have known?"  
  
Archie Simpson, Emma's stepfather, limped down the hallway leading to his wife and two children. He was a tall man, wearing a pair of pleated khakis and a red tshirt with white paint stains; his pale face making him seem almost ghost-like.  
  
"Dad? What are you doing up?" Emma leaned to the left and pulled Jack up onto her hip. Archie opened his arms for Spike to come into them.  
  
"Couldn't sleep. I was tired, and then I wasn't." Spike embraced him. "Did you finish your homework?" He eyed Emma holding his son.  
  
"Yes sir," Emma slightly lied. Her math homework was done, but not the English paper due the next day. Neither was her history project. Not to mention the fact that she had to prepare for tomorrow's E.C. meeting.  
  
Archie sensed Emma's bluff. "Go finish it, Emma. Schoolwork is first." He lifted Jack from Emma's arms.  
  
"Dad... please let me take him. He can sit with me while I finish it." Emma played with the cloth that lied loosely at Jack's feet.  
  
"What? You think I can't take care of my own son?" Archie sounded taken aback. He bundled up the rest of the cloth with his free hand and held Jack away from Emma protectively.  
  
"Archie..." Spike warned.  
  
"Look, he's my son. Just because my son's father has cancer doesn't mean he can't have one at all." He slightly stumbled back into the wall. He held onto the coffee table for resistance from falling down.  
  
"Dad!" Emma rushed over to him, concerned.  
  
"I'm _fine_, Emma. Go finish your homework, please," he demanded.  
  
"Archie, give Jack to Emma," Spike ordered. Snake had been slowly slipping down the wall while they talked, and now he seemed as if he were sitting in an invisible chair. "I'm serious. Give him to Emma," she told him again when he didn't hand Jack over.  
  
Emma crossed over and gently took Jack away. She smiled at him while he settled himself into Emma's arms. "I'm going to Manny's," she told her parents.  
  
She trotted down the stairs to her room and gathered up her homework, including the clipboard with a few E.C. forms. Maybe she could talk Manny into it after all. Jack quietly hummed next to her, his drool slowly dripping down her gray sweatshirt. Emma wiped it off with a side of the white linen he was wrapped in, and swung her backpack over her shoulder.  
  
She climbed back up the stairs, taking more time now, since she was now weighed down with twenty pounds, more or less.  
  
"See? She's going to get scoliosis if she carries all of that at once!" Archie yelled once she appeared back up the stairs. Spike had her arms around him now. She was rubbing his chest in an attempt to calm him down.  
  
"Dad, I'm fine. Go back to sleep," Emma said quietly. She gravely continued on her way down the hallway and out the door, with tears beginning to roll down her face, and Archie still yelling at her from the other side of the house.  
  
She rummaged in the front pocket of her pink backpack for money. The zipper was stuck on a piece of cloth and she couldn't get it open.  
  
"God, can't one thing go right?" she said lightly. Jack loudly yawned next to her. She smiled in spite of herself.  
  
The wooden bench two feet ahead looked like a good place to sort things out. She sat down, placed Jack on her lap, and the backpack next to her. She tugged at it until it opened, even though now she had a small rip where the cloth had been torn.  
  
She stuck her hand into the pocket, coming up with a bubblegum wrapper, a Chap Stick with no top, a broken crayon, and $7.83. She suspected that she had more money in her jean pockets, but she didn't want to move Jack, who was silently sleeping against her right arm.  
  
The bubblegum wrapper and the Chap Stick went into the trash can next to her, and the crayon went back into the pocket. There was no telling when Jack might need something to play with. She didn't know when she was going home at this point in time.  
  
For when her dad got hysterical like that, Emma and her mother had come up with an escape plan. Spike would do her best to restrain him while Emma got her stuff together. In Emma's bag there was always a spare bottle for Jack, a pacifier, and her house keys. Then she was supposed to get Jack and out of the house as quickly as she could.  
  
The total times that Emma had had to do this was three. She either went to Manny's, or she stopped at the twenty-four hour diner on the corner to eat and finish her homework. Then she would sneak in through the window in the basement and keep Jack with her until the morning.  
  
"Oh, Jack." Emma sighed.  
  
"Emy!" He called, his hand rising towards her.  
  
"Yeah, that's right," she smiled. "I guess I'm your mommy for today."  
  
She checked her watch. It was already seven thirty. Manny's parents wouldn't allow Emma to come over this late, so she opted to go to the diner. Emma zipped up her backpack, stuffed the money into her pocket, put the backpack onto her back again, and lifted Jack onto her hip again.  
  
The diner was an old mom and pop place four blocks away from her house. It had opened back in the early seventies, around when her mom was born. A guy name Freddy had run it at that time, so, naturally, it was called 'Freddy's'. They had the best cheese fries Emma had ever tasted.  
  
A bell dinged as Emma pushed open the door. She hoisted Jack onto her hip as he started to fall, and found salvation in the closest booth she could find.  
  
"What can I getcha, darlin'?" A mossy-brown haired woman with wrinkles and a gold front tooth came up to Emma and Jack, a pencil stuck behind her ear and a notepad in her hand. Her nametag read 'Greta'.  
  
"I'll have a cup of coffee, and..." Emma looked at Jack, who was beginning to wake up. She unzipped her backpack and found his bottle at the bottom of it. "Warm milk, for him?" She offered the bottle to Greta.  
  
"Of course, sweets." She scribbled down the orders on her notepad and looked back up. "He yours?" Greta asked.  
  
"Um, no. He's my half-brother." She was slightly insulted by Greta thinking that Jack was actually hers.  
  
"You seem like a good sista. You good for 'im." She smiled her golden-tooth smile and walked away to get their drink orders.  
  
Emma sighed, and rammed her head against the cushion. She felt like crying all over again, but couldn't let herself do it in public. She decided to get her English paper done before she did her E.C. preparations. She pulled out her copy of '_The Great_ _Gatsby_' and three pieces of notebook paper and a pen. She stuck Jack onto her thigh, and began to bounce him up and down.  
  
"Here ya are, sweets." Greta came over with a cup of coffee, Jack's bottle filled with warm milk, and a basket of saltine crackers. "Thought he might wanna snack." She placed the cup in front of Emma and the milk and crackers next to her.  
  
"Thank you, but I don't know if I can pay for them." She offered the basket back to Greta.  
  
"You wanna pay for a basket o' crackers? You so silly." She took her notepad back out of her apron and a pencil. "Whatya want to eats?"  
  
"A bowl of steamed carrots and applesauce, thanks." Emma's stomach rumbled while she ordered just for Jack, since she didn't have enough money to order for the both of them.  
  
"You not gonna eat, Sweets?" Greta looked at Emma concernedly, her wrinkles all lopsided.  
  
"I already ate, thanks," she lied.  
  
"The tummy tells no lies, darlin'. I heard it talkin' to you." Greta looked at her sternly. She obviously had been a mother some time or another.  
  
"I really don't have enough money. Could you just bring the carrots and the applesauce please?" Emma was getting irritated. She needed to get her English paper done before ten o' clock.  
  
"Look, Sweets, you get somat to eat right now, pay lata when you gots the money."  
  
Emma looked at the kind lady. She supposed that eating now and paying later wasn't the most horrible thing to do.  
  
"Okay. A basket of cheese fries, a cheeseburger with extra pickles, and a hot fudge sundae for me, please."  
  
"Now we talkin'! Got ya order comin' right up!" Greta skipped back to the kitchen and placed Emma's order onto a clip. Emma smiled, and looked outside the window. The clouds were rolling into one another, creating a dark grey sky. She could hear thunder shouting at her in the distance.  
  
"Great. Just what I need. Rain." She shook her head, picked up her pen, opened '_Gatsby_' to page ninety-two, and began writing, all the while shaking Jack on her leg.  
  
"What about company?" Emma heard a familiar voice ask her.  
  
She looked up. Ashley Kerwin stood above her, looking down onto the mess that Emma had created in ten minutes. Jack's bottle had tipped over and now the milk was leaking out, and the crackers were askew in front of him. Emma's own mess consisted of empty sugar and cream packets for her coffee, her three pieces of notebook paper had somehow found their own spaces on the table, and her pen was leaking ink on her copy of '_Gatsby_'. Not to mention that Jack was still drooling on Emma's shoulder.  
  
"Oh, Ashley. Hi." Emma smiled, a bit embarrassed.  
  
"Don't worry about it. I have younger cousins. I can relate."  
  
"No, I don't think you can," Emma mumbled.  
  
"Can I sit down?"  
  
"Yeah. Of course."  
  
Ashley took a seat opposite Emma and surveyed the disaster scene.  
  
"Why aren't you at The Dot?" Emma questioned.  
  
"I hate The Dot. Too much commercializing... too much socializing, too. This place is so quiet, and nobody from school ever comes here. Well, except you." Ashley smiled.  
  
"Yeah. I guess." Emma surveyed Ashley's smile. It was that tiny, perfect smile that was rarely seen. She could imagine Craig kissing it and thoroughly enjoying it, and then going off and kissing Manny with the same mouth. Emma could imagine kissing Ashley's mouth herself, actually.  
  
'_Whoa. Hold that thought. I'm not gay... or am I?_'


End file.
